Liquid discharging device



Nov. 5, 1946. J. D. sTRoBr-:LL

LIQUID DISCHARGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '///////z///////// rl/ll//w// Filed June 17. 1943 l VE TOR- Jaw/v Juke ATroRNEYs.

NOV. 5, 1946, 1 D. STROBELL 2,410,692

LIQUID DI SCHARGING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1- .ofr/v a Jeofu.,

SYM, (Lm/fw l ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 5, 1946 LIQUID DISCHARGING DEVICE John D. Strobell, New Haven, Conn., assigner to The Safety Car Heating and Lighting Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,085

4 Claims. l p This invention relates to a, liquid discharging device and more particularly to a spraying device for spraying liquidl deodorants and for use as a humidifier.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro- `vide a simple, practical, and thoroughly durable liquid discharging device. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character, the manufacture of which will be ecoe nomical both from the standpoint of labor and material used. Another object is to provide a device of the above character which will operate automatically. Still another object is to provide a device of the above character automatically controlled by heating or air-conditioning systems. A further object is .to provide a device of the above character which will be economical to operate. A still further object is to provide a device of the above character capable of spraying a volatile liquid at a uniform rate in relatively small amounts. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in this structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view or the apparatus, certain portions thereof being in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the device Figure 3 is a vertical section of certain portions of the device taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic showing of a circuit for the device for use with direct current; and,

Figure 5 is a vertical elevation of the device in use in conjunction with a heating radiator,

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it might here be pointed out that in the past considerable difculty has been experienced with sprayers of the above type. In devices o-f this character which have a continuous spray, it has been found necessary to provide a Very small nozzle orifice to limit the amount of the liquid sprayed. This has caused considerable difficulty because even small particles of dirt in the liquid being sprayed clog the nozzle orifice. Furthermore, such devices usually use an electric motor and motor driven pump which make a device relatively expensive to manufacture and also expensive to operate, It is accordingly another object of this invention to provide an eflicient and economical spraying device which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties, as well as many others.

In general, referring to Figures 1 andl 2, the device includes a container l0 having a pump, generally indicated at II, and discharge tube I2 mounted thereon. The pump is operated by a solenoid, generally indicated at I3, which is intermittently energized by the automatic operation of a switch, generally indicated at I4. Each time solenoid I3 is energized, it acts through arm I5 and discharge tube I2 to operate the pump II and thus spray liquid through the nozzle I6 of discharge tube I2.

Container I0 may be of any desired shape and has a suitable opening I'I (Figure 1) through which it may be filled with the liquid to be sprayed. A tube I8 (Figure 2) extends downwardly into container I0 a substantial distance and is prevented from moving downwardly therein by a ring I9 which nts in an annular indentation 20 in the side wall of tube I8 and which contacts the upper surface of a plate secured to the topof container I0, The pump cylinder 2| of pump Il is secured in the lower end of tube I8 and has a check ball 22 adapted to cover an intake opening 23 in its lower end. The pump plunger 24, which moves within pump cylinder 2 I, has an opening 25 in its lower end covered by a check ball 26. The upper end of hollow plunger 24 is secured to discharge tube I2 by which the pump II is operated.

A washer 2l, positioned within tube I8, rests on the shoulder formed in the interior turbe by annular indentation 20. A spring 28 acts between Washer 21 and a collar 29 secured to discharge tube I2 to resiliently urge the collar 29 and thus tube I2 and plunger 24 upwardly. Upward movement of these parts is limited by arm I5 (Figure 2) which is pivotally connected by pin 30 to the frame 3| of solenoid I3 which in turn is connected to container I0. A screw 32 extends downwardly through a hole 33 in arm I5 having a greater diameter than the shank of screw 32 and threads into the core 34 of solenoid I3.

Arm I5 has yoke portions I5a and I5b (Figure 1) .formed on its left-hand end, as viewed in this figure. The yoke portions I 5a and I5b curve downwardly to engage radial serrations 29a in the upper side of collar 29. The radial serrations 29a on collar 29 extend completely around the collar 29 and are so disposed that each serration is aligned with a serration of the opposite side ot the collar. To adjust the direction in which the liquid is to be sprayed. the user presses downwardly on tube I2 compressing spring 28 and turns the tube to the direction in which spraying is desired. When the pressure is released, portions Ila and Ib engage the aligned pair of serrations positioned beneath them. Thus referring to Figure 1, liquid may be sprayed in any direction in a horizontal plane,

In operation, as the winding of solenoid I3 is energized, metal arm I5 is pulled downwardly by core 34 and arm I5 acts through collar 29 and tube I2 to press plunger 24 downwardly in cylinder 2 I. When the circuit to the solenoid is broken, spring 28 acts through collar 29 and tube I2 to move plunger 24 upwardly. On the upward stroke. liquid is taken into cylinder 2I past check ball 22, lling the space beneath plunger 24. On the stroke down, check ball 22 seals opening 23 and the liquid within cylinder 2l is forced upwardly into discharge tube I2. A pin is provided to limit the upward movement of check ball 20. The reciprocating action of plunger 24 continues until the discharge tube is full, at which time each downward stroke of plunger 24 causes liquid to be sprayed from nozzle IB. The length of the stroke of plunger 24 may be adjusted by adjusting screw 32 upwardly or downwardly.

The energization of solenoid I3 is controlled by switch I4. This switch has a rectangularly shaped casing including side walls 40 and 4I and end walls 42 and 43 made of a non-conducting material. A bi-metallic strip 44 (Figures l and 3) is mounted within the non-conducting casing and one end iits in a vertical 'slot 45 (Figure 3) in end wall 43. The other end of bi-metallc strip 44 is mounted in a slot 46 in an adjustable support 41. Adjustable support 41, which is made of a non-conducting material includes stud portions 41a and 41h, which extend through holes in end wall 42 mounting support 41 for horizontal movement with respect to end wall 42. Screws 43 and 49 extend through end wall 43, support 41, and stud portions 41a and 41h of base 41. By adjustment of nuts 48a and 49a of screws 48 and 49, support 41 is moved with relation to end wall 42 applying longitudinal pressure on the end of bimetallic strip 44. This pressure is sufficient to cause the bi-metalllc strip 44 to buckle and contact an adjustable contact screw 50 (Figure l) at normal temperature.

Referring to the circuit (Figure 4) one of the lines 5I from the source of current is connected to contact screw 50 (Figure 1). The other line 52 has one -branch 52a leading directly to the winding on solenoid I3 and the other branch 52h leads to a heating coil 53 on bi-metallic strip 44. The other end of heating coil 53 is connected both to the bi-metallic strip 44 by line 54 and to the end of the winding on solenoid I3 by line 55. As stated hereinabove, at normal temperature bimetallic strip 44 is buckled by screws 48 and 49 (Figure 3) acting through support 41 to cause the strip to contact contact member 5D. This completes a circuit to heating coil 53 and at the same time solenoid I3 is energized. This causes a downward stroke of the plunger 24 (Figure 2). When bi-metallic strip 44 has been heated to a sulcient degree by heating coil 53, bi-metallic strip 44 flexes and thus moves away from Contact with line 5I. This breaks the circ'uit to both the heating coil and the solenoid and permits 'spring 23 (Figure 2) to move thc plunger 24 upwardly. When bi-metallic strip 44 (Figure 3) cools, it flexes in the opposite direction and contacts contact 50. This again completes the circuit to heating coil 53 and solenoid I3 causing another downward stroke of the plunger 24. It will thus be seen that solenoid I3 is intermittently energized by automatic switch I4 and that each time it is energized, the liquid in container I0 is sprayed through nozzle IB (Figure 2). An adjustable stop screw 1 I (Figure l) is provided in the flexing path of bi-metallic strip 44, and through the adjustment of this screw and contact screw 50, a wide variation in the interval between successive contacts of the screw 5U and strip 44 may be obtained.

Referring to Figure 5, the device described hereinabove is shown being operated in conjunction With a heating radiator 6D. When used in this manner, the spray from nozzle I6 is directed toward the radiator, vaporized by the heat thereof, and then carried through the air in the space being humidified or deodorized by natural convection of the air in the space. To insure that the device will operate only when the radiator 6B is hot, a thermostat 6I may be mounted on radiator 6U in any suitable manner. This thermostat, which may be of any suitable type, is preferably connected into line 5I (Figure 4) and completes the circuit through this line only when the radiator is hot. Thus, in operation, whenever the radiator is hot, the circuit to solenoid I3 is completed and liquid is intermittently sprayed on the radiator.

Thus a practical and efficient spraying device has been disclosed which will introduce a volatile liquid into a space in relatively small amounts at a uniform rate. Furthermore, the other objects set forth hereinabove, as well as many others. are successfully accomplished by this device.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not-in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. In combination with means forming a container for liquid, a liquid discharging device comprising, a cylindrical member having one end extending out of the container and the other end extending below the liquid level in the container, an inner liquid "ube positioned concentrically within said cylindrical member and having one end projecting beyond the cylindrical member away from the container, a pump below the liquid level and formed by stationary means attached to said cylindrical member and a pump plunger attached to said liquid tube, a liquid discharging nozzle connected to said liquid tube at the end thereof opposite said pump and adapted to discharge the liquid radially with respect to the axis of said cylindrical member, means extending from said liquid tubeand forming therearound an annular ledge having a radially grooved annular surface, a forked lever having a free forked end spanning said liquid tube with the two arms of the fork having ends resting respectively on the opposite sides of the liquid tube in the grooves in said ledge, means pivoting the other end of said lever, a spring and stop arrangement holding said liquid tube with said annular surface against said forked lever and at one extreme position of a predetermined rocking movement, and a solenoid assembly to swing said forked lever against the action of said spring, whereby the intermittent energization of said solenoid imparts reciprocating movement to said liquidtube with the result that the liquid is discharged from said nozzle.

2. In combination, a container for liquid; and a liquid discharging device comprising, a cylindrical member having one end extending out of the container and the other end extending below the liquid level in the container, an inner liquid tube positioned concentrically within said cyline drical member and having one end projectingr beyond the cylindrical member away from the container, a pump below the liquid level and formed by a stationary cylinder attached to said cylindrical member and a pump plunger attached to said liquid tube, a liquid discharging nozzle connected to said liquid tube at the end thereof opposite said pump and adapted to discharge the liquid radially with respect to the axis of said cylindrical member, means integral with said liquid tube and forming therearound an annular ledge having a radially grooved annular surface, a forked lever having a free forked end spanning said liquid tube with the two arms of the fork having ends resting respectively on the opposite sides of the liquid tube in the grooves in said ledge, means pivoting the other end of said lever, a stop means, a spring holding said liquid tube with said annular surface against said forked lever and with said forked lever against said stop means at one extreme position of a predetermined rocking movement, and a solenoid assembly to swing said forked lever against the action of said spring, whereby the intermittent energizatio-n of said solenoid imparts reciprocating movement to said liquid tube with the result that the liquid is discharged from said nozzle.

3. A liquid discharging device adapted to be positioned on the top of a. container for liquid and comprising a stationary tubular member having one end adapted to extend out of the container and the other end adapted to extend into the container when said device is positioned thereon, an inner liquid tube positionedwithin said tubula.` member and having one end projecting beyond the tubular member away from the container, a pump including a cylinder at the lower end of said tubular member and a pump plunger at the lower end of said inner liquid tube, a liquid discharge means connected to said inner liquid tube at the end thereof opposite said pump and directed to discharge the liquid radially with respect to the axis of said tubular member, means extending from said inner liquid tube and forming therearound an annular ledge having a radially grooved annular surface, a forked lever tent energization of said solenoid imparts re- 1 ciprocating movement to said liquid tube.

4. In a device of the nature described, in combination, a container for a volatile liquid, pump means including a tubular plunger member and a cylinder member, means for holding said cylindermember stationary with respect to said container, means for resiliently urging said plunger member upwardly, intermittently actuated solenoid means, collar means secured to said plunger member and having serrations on the top surface thereof, an arm member actuated by said solenoid means with the end of said arm member being shaped to enter and thereby coact with the serrations on said collar means to hold the plunger member in adjusted position and'to move the plunger member downwardly, and liquid discharge means connected to said plunger member and directed laterally thereof, said liquid discharge means being thereby connected to said pump means through said plunger member for discharging the liquid pumped by said pump means.

JOHN D. STROBELL. 

